Vehicle having hitch supported tailgate seating assembly

Abstract

A vehicle including a body defining a cabin interior, the body including a tailgate movable between an open position exposing the cabin interior and a closed position closing the cabin interior, a hitch, a deployable seat assembly configured to move between a first position within the cabin interior and a second position extending outside of the cabin interior when the liftgate door is in the open position, and a hitch support mechanism coupled to the seat assembly and configured to connect to the assembly to support the seat assembly in the second position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle comprising:
 a body defining a cabin interior, the body including a tailgate movable between an open position exposing the cabin interior and a closed position closing the cabin interior;   a hitch;   a deployable seat assembly configured to move between a first position within the cabin interior and a second position extending outside of the cabin interior when the liftgate is in the open position;   a hitch support mechanism coupled to the seat assembly and configured to connect to the hitch to support the seat assembly in the second position;   a deployment mechanism operative to move the seat assembly between the first and second positions, wherein the deployment mechanism comprises a seat rotator assembly operable to rotate the seat assembly between the first position facing forward within the cabin interior and the second position facing rearward outside of the cabin interior.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the seat assembly comprises a seat base and a seat back, wherein the hitch support mechanism is connected to the seat base in the second position. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein the hitch support mechanism comprises a reconfigurable support arm having a first end coupled to the seat base and a second end configured to connect in a receiver of the hitch. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle of  claim 3 , wherein the reconfigurable support arm comprises a first support bar pivotably connected to a second support bar, wherein the reconfigurable support arm folds under the seat base when the seat assembly is in the first position within the cabin interior. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle of  claim 1  further comprising an electrical hitch connector configured to supply electrical power, wherein the seat assembly comprises an electrical connector configured to connect to the electrical hitch connector to power one or more electrically powered devices associated with the seat assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle of  claim 1  further comprising a footrest coupled to the seat assembly, wherein the footrest extends to a deployed footrest position from a stored position. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the seat assembly is configured in a rear facing direction in the second position. 
     
     
         8 . A vehicle comprising:
 a body defining a cabin interior, the body including a tailgate movable between an open position exposing the cabin interior and a closed position closing the cabin interior;   a hitch;   a deployable seat assembly configured to move between a first position within the cabin interior and a second position extending outside of the cabin interior when the liftgate is in the open position; and   a hitch support mechanism coupled to the seat assembly and configured to connect to the hitch to support the seat assembly in the second position, and wherein the seat assembly is configured in a rear facing direction in the second position outside the cabin interior.   
     
     
         9 . The vehicle of  claim 8  further comprising a seat rotator assembly that rotates the seating assembly between the first position in the forward facing seating direction within the cabin interior and the second position in the rear facing seating direction. 
     
     
         10 . A vehicle comprising:
 a body defining a cabin interior, the body including a tailgate movable between an open position exposing the cabin interior and a closed position closing the cabin interior;   a hitch having a receiver end;   a deployable seat assembly configured to move between a first position within the cabin interior and facing forward and a second position extending outside of the cabin interior and facing rearward when the liftgate is in the open position; and   a hitch support mechanism coupled to the seat assembly and configured to connect to the receiver end of the hitch to support the seat assembly in the second position, wherein the hitch support mechanism comprises a reconfigurable support arm having a first end connected to the seat assembly and a second end having a plug configured to engage the receiver end of the hitch.   
     
     
         11 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the reconfigurable support arm comprises a first support bar pivotably connected to a second support bar wherein the reconfigurable support arm folds under the seat base when the seat assembly is in the first position within the cabin interior. 
     
     
         12 . A seat assembly for a vehicle, the seat assembly comprising:
 a seat and seat base configured to move between a first position within a cabin interior of the vehicle and a second position extending outside of the cabin interior when a liftgate of the vehicle is in the open position;   a deployment mechanism configured to move the seat and seat base between the first, and second positions; and   a hitch support mechanism coupled to the seat assembly and configured to connect to a hitch of the vehicle to support the seat assembly in the second position, wherein the hitch support mechanism comprises a reconfigurable support arm having a first end coupled to the seat base and a second end configured to connect in a receiver of the hitch.   
     
     
         13 . The seat assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the reconfigurable support arm comprises a first support bar pivotably connected to a second support bar, wherein the reconfigurable support arm folds under the seat base when the seat assembly is in the first position within the cabin interior. 
     
     
         14 . The seat assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the hitch support mechanism comprises a first pivot connection coupling the first support arm to the seat base and a second pivot connection coupling the first support arm to the second support arm. 
     
     
         15 . The seat assembly of  claim 12  further comprising an electrical connector configured to power one or more electrically powered devices associated with the seat assembly. 
     
     
         16 . The seat assembly of  claim 12  further comprising a footrest coupled to the seat assembly, wherein the footrest extends to a deployed footrest position from a stored position. 
     
     
         17 . The seat assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the deployment mechanism comprises a seat rotator assembly operable to rotate the seat assembly between the first position facing forward within the cabin interior and the second position facing rearward outside of the cabin interior.